Display device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a display device having a large-area display region which is capable of performing an image display of high quality by making, even when two display panels abut on each other, an abutting portion becomes inconspicuous. Two optical path changing lenses LPL 1 , LPE 2  are arranged in a state that respective optical path changing lenses LPL 1 , LPE 2  have respective one sides thereof abutted on each other above an abutting portion BE of two display panels PNL 1 , PNL 2 . The abutted ends form a straight-line shape on the abutting portion BE. The first optical path changing lens LPL 1  and the second optical path changing lens LPL 2  have a lens shape such that the lenses change a optical path of an optical image at a portion remote from the abutting portion BE in the viewing point VP direction and, at the same time, an optical image of a non-display region BW including a picture frame where a shield frame SHD is present from a boundary of the abutting portion BE in the direction orthogonal to the abutting portion BE within a display screen is contracted and focused on the viewing point VP in the upward direction orthogonal to a display screen in a boundary of the abutting portion BE.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.2005-128859 filed onApr. 27, 2005 including the specification, drawings and abstract isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularlyto a display device which makes one sides of two display panels having asmall-sized display region abut on each other thus forming a displaydevice having a size twice as large as the above-mentioned each displayregions.

2. Description of the Related Arts.

There has been a demand for a display device which arranges two displaypanels close to each other thus forming a large screen which has ascreen size twice as large as a screen size of an original displayregion of each display panel. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Hei05-66388(Patent Document 1), there is disclosed a foldable liquid crystaldisplay device which is configured such that a plurality of liquidcrystal display devices is contiguously connected in the plannerdirection thus forming one large-sized screen as a whole. Further, inJapanese Patent Laid-Open Hei08-190089 (Patent Document 2), there isdisclosed a liquid crystal display device having a large-sized screenwhich, in constituting the large-sized screen by arranging a pluralityof liquid crystal display panels in parallel, makes dead spaces ofjoints of liquid crystal display panels inconspicuous thus allowing theliquid crystal display device to exhibit an excellent display quality.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,785B1 (Patent Document 3), there is disclosed aportable liquid crystal display device which arranges two liquid crystaldisplay panels close to each other so as to increase an area of a screenwhile maintaining the portability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In patent document 1, a plurality of small liquid crystal display panelsis connected with each other using a flexible cable and is made foldablethus enhancing the portability of the liquid crystal display device.However, a non-display part which is present at an abutting portion ofthe liquid crystal display panels has an area twice as large as an areaof a non display part of each liquid crystal display panel and hence, aviewer feels a discomfort in watching the liquid crystal display panelsas one display screen.

In the liquid crystal display device of patent document 2, it isnecessary to set a display pixel distance within one liquid crystaldisplay panel and a pixel part distance which sandwiches a joint betweentwo liquid crystal display panels substantially equal to each other.Further, in arranging two liquid crystal display panels close to eachother, it is necessary to set a width of a side wall to 0.3 mm or lessand a width of the joint of the liquid crystal display panel to 1.5 mmor less. When the liquid crystal display panels which are formed in thismanner are arranged close to each other, it is necessary to prevent thejoint from being observed with eyes of a viewer using an optical film.

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view for explaining one example of theconventional display device which forms the display region having a sizetwice as large as a size of the original display region by making onesides of two display panels abut on each other, and FIG. 12 is aschematic cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 11. Here,FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 shows the constitution in which the respectivedisplay panels are arranged in an abutting manner with no gaptherebetween and picture frames are not shown in the drawings. Informing the display region having the size twice as large as the size ofthe original display region by making one sides of two display panelsabut on each other, as shown in FIG. 11, it is preferable to make therespective corresponding sides abut on each other by rotating 180degrees the first display panel PNL1 and the second display panel PNL2having the same constitution in plane.

As shown in FIG. 12, the first display panel PNL1 is constituted bylaminating a first substrate (a TFT substrate in an active matrix typedisplay panel) SUB1A and a second substrate (usually a color filtersubstrate, a CF substrate) SUB2A to each other and filling liquidcrystal in a lamination gap. In the same manner, the second displaypanel PNL2 is constituted by laminating a first substrate (a TFTsubstrate in an active matrix type display panel) SUB1B and a secondsubstrate (usually a color filter substrate, a CF substrate) SUB2B toeach other and filling liquid crystal in a lamination gap.

In this example, the first substrates SUB1A, SUB1B have at least onesides (here, two sides) projected from the corresponding sides of thesecond substrates SUB2A, SUB2B. On these projected portions, datadrivers (signal line drive circuit chips) DDR1, DDR2 and gate drivers(scanning line drive circuit chips) GDR1, GDR2 are mounted. The displayregions AR1, AR2 of the respective first and second display panels PNL1and PNL2 are set narrower than the surfaces of the respective secondsubstrates SUB2A, SUB2B.

The display panels have peripheries thereof held by shield frames(casings) and a non-display region BW is present at an abutting portionBE of two display panels including the arrangement of the shield framesand the display regions. Accordingly, when an image is displayed usingthe display regions AR1, AR2 of the respective first and second displaypanels PNL1, PNL2 as one display region, the above-mentioned non-displayregion BW becomes conspicuous thus providing a display which gives adiscomfort to a viewer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a display devicehaving a large-area display region which is capable of performing animage display of high quality by making, even when two display panelsabut on each other, an abutting portion become inconspicuous.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a display device of the presentinvention may include a first display panel and a second display panelwhich have respective one sides thereof abut on each other along anabutting boundary therebetween, and the display device may furtherinclude a first optical path changing lens and a second optical pathchanging lens which are arranged to cover at least respective regions ofthe first display panel and the second display panel. The first opticalpath changing lens and the second optical path changing lens may beformed in a lens shape which allows both lenses to perform an opticalpath changing operation such that an optical image of a picture frame inthe direction orthogonal to the abutting boundary within a displayscreen is linearly contracted and is focused in the upward directionorthogonal to the display screen in the display screen at the abuttingboundary.

Further, the first optical path changing lens and the second opticalpath changing lens in the display device of the present invention mayinclude respectively, at a portion thereof where a distance from theabutting boundary in the direction orthogonal to the boundary within thedisplay screen is large, a uniform changing region which changes anoptical path of an optical image of an image displayed on the displayregion of the display panel in the upward direction orthogonal to thedisplay screen in the abutting boundary while maintaining the linearityin the direction orthogonal from the abutting boundary and, at a portionthereof where the distance from the abutting boundary in the directionorthogonal to the abutting boundary is small, a non-uniform changingregion which changes an optical path of an optical image of an imagedisplayed on the display region of the display panel such that anoptical image of the picture frame is contracted and focused linearly inthe upward direction orthogonal to a display screen of the abuttingboundary.

Further, in the present invention, optical path changing characteristicsof the first optical path changing lens and the second optical pathchanging lens may assume a line symmetry with respect to the abuttingboundary. Further, the uniform changing region may have a profile on thedisplay screen side of a cross section thereof formed in an inclinedsurface in the direction orthogonal to the display screen, and the crosssection in which the larger a distance in the direction from theabutting boundary orthogonal to the abutting boundary within the displayscreen, a distance between the inclined surface and the display screenis increased is formed in a wedge shape. Further, the non-uniformchanging region may have a profile on the display screen side of a crosssection formed in a curved shape (arc, elliptical arc, parabolic or acurve having a continuous unequal curvature) projecting toward a displaypanel side in the direction orthogonal to the display screen.

Further, in the present invention, between respect end portions of thefirst optical path changing lens and the second optical path changinglens except for the abutting boundary and corresponding picture framesof the first display panel and the second display panel, spacers may bearranged, and inner peripheries of the spacers may be arranged to extendforwardly toward the display region side than respective innerperipheries of the first display panel and the second display panel andassume positions at which reflection lights on inner surfaces of thepicture frames are prevented from reaching the first optical pathchanging lens and the second optical path changing lens. Further, asurface of the first optical path changing lens and a surface of thesecond optical path changing lens may be continuously formed.

Further, a display device of the present invention may include a firstdisplay panel and a second display panel which have upper peripheries ofrespective one sides thereof abut on each other along an abuttingboundary therebetween, the display device may further include a firstinclined fiber lens and a second inclined fiber lens which are arrangedto cover at least respective display regions of the first display paneland the second display panel, the first inclined fiber lens and thesecond inclined fiber lens are formed of a rectangular plate-shaped bodywhich is obtained by cutting a fiber prism which is formed of a largenumber of fibers which are bundled and bonded parallel to each other andlinearly at a predetermined angle with respect to a long axis of theprism, and lower peripheries of the abutting one sides of the firstinclined fiber lens and the second inclined fiber lens are positioned atthe display region side than inner peripheries of picture frames of theabutting one sides.

Further, lower peripheries of the first inclined fiber lens and thesecond inclined fiber lens on sides opposite to the abutting sides maybe arranged to be positioned on the display region side than innerperipheries of the picture frames of the first display panel and thesecond display panel positioned on a side opposite to the picture framesof the respective abutting one sides.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there may beprovided a display device which includes a display panel having apicture frame on an outer periphery of the display region, and anoptical path changing lens which is arranged above the display panel,wherein the optical path changing lens has a cross-sectional shapethereof which corresponds to one side of the display panel formed suchthat one side of the cross-sectional shape is formed in a straight-lineshape having the inclination with respect to the display panel andanother side of the cross-sectional shape is formed in a curved shape (acurve projecting toward the display panel) on a surface side which facesthe display panel, and the cross-sectional shape is arranged parallel toa display region of the display panel on a surface side opposite to thesurface which faces the display panel.

Here, the optical path changing lens may be supported on spacers whichare arranged on the picture frame of the display panel, and the opticalpath changing lens may be arranged on the picture frame on astraight-line shape side having the inclination with respect to at leastthe display panel is not arranged on the picture frame on a curvedsurface shape side.

Further, by arranging the spacers on the picture frame on thestraight-line side which has inclination with respect to the displaypanel in a state that the spacers advances to the display region sidethan the inner periphery of the picture frame, when a viewer observesthe display device from the curved shape side, it is possible to preventa reflection light on a side surface which constitutes a stepped portionof the picture frame with respect to the display region from reachingthe optical path changing lens and hence, the generation of bright linesattributed to the reflection of light on the side surface portion of thepicture frame can be suppressed whereby the display can be performedwithout giving a discomfort to the viewer.

The reason is as follows. As a method for using this display device,there may be a case in which two display devices are arranged such thatcurved-shape-sides of two display devices face each other to form thelarge-sized display device. In this case, the viewer's view point existsat a connecting portion of two display devices. Accordingly, when thespacers on the picture frame on the straight-line-shaped side having theinclination with respect to the display panel are not arranged in astate that the spacers advance to the display region side than the innerperiphery of the picture frame, the side surface of the stepped portionbetween the picture frame and the display region is recognized as thebright line due to the reflection light.

Here, the spacers can stably support the optical path changing lens byarranging one U-shaped member including a portion which is arranged onthe picture frame of the optical path changing lens on thestraight-line-shaped side which has the inclination with respect to thedisplay panel and, at the same time, it is possible to save time andefforts for arranging the spacers.

Although the display device of the present invention may be preferablyrealized as the liquid crystal display device, the display device of thepresent invention may be applicable to a display device which uses otherpanel-type display panel such as an organic EL display device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide thelarge-sized display device which can largely narrow the non-displayregion between two abutting display panels thus substantially reducingthe non-display region to an extent that the non-display region becomestwice as large as the display region of the original display region.

Here, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited tothe above-mentioned constitutions described in the summary of theinvention and various modifications are conceivable without departingfrom the technical concept of the present invention described in claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of an embodiment 1 of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an operational explanatory view of the embodiment 1 which isshown as a cross-sectional schematic view taken along a line A-A′ inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view with a part in cross-section forfurther explaining an operation of an optical path changing lens of theembodiment 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an example of sizes of the optical pathchanging lens in the embodiment 1;

FIG. 5 is a table which shows an example of typical numerical values ofrespective portions in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining one example offixing structure of the optical path changing lens to a display panel ona side opposite to an abutting side;

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the manner of operation of thebrightness line preventing structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an inclined fiber lens for explaining anembodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a state in which the inclined fiber lensshown in FIG. 8 is mounted on the display panel;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing the whole displaydevice of an embodiment 2 in which inclined fiber lenses arerespectively overlapped to two respective display panels which abut oneach other in a state that the inclined fiber lenses cover therespective display panels;

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view for explaining one example of aconventional display device which is configured such that one sides oftwo display panels are made to abut on each other to form a displayregion having a size twice as large as a size of an original displayregion; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A inFIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are explained indetail in conjunction with drawings which show the embodiments.

Although the explanation will be made with respect to a case in whichliquid crystal display panels are used in the embodiments describedhereinafter, the present invention is applicable to display panels ofother types. Here, the display panel is also referred to as “cell”.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of an embodiment 1 of the presentinvention. The display device has the constitution substantially equalto the constitution explained in conjunction with FIG. 11. That is, afirst display panel PNL1 is constituted by laminating a first substrateSUB1A and a second substrate SUB2A to each other and by filling liquidcrystal in a lamination gap. In the same manner, a second display panelPNL2 is constituted by laminating a first substrate SUB1B and a secondsubstrate SUB2B to each other and by filling liquid crystal in alamination gap.

In FIG. 1, the respective first substrates SUB1A, SUB1B of two displaypanels have two sides thereof projected from corresponding sides of therespective second substrates SUB2A, SUB2B. Data drivers DDR1, DDR2 andgate drivers GDR1, GDR2 are mounted on these projected portions. Asmentioned previously, display regions AR1, AR2 of the respective firstand second display panels PNL1, PNL2 are set narrower than surfaces ofthe respective second substrates SUB2A, SUB2B. Further, in thisembodiment 1, a first optical path changing lens LPL1 and a secondoptical path changing lens LPL2 are mounted on the first display panelPNL1 and the second display panel PNL2 in a state that the first opticalpath changing lens LPL1 and the second optical path changing lens LPL2cover the respective display regions of the first display panel PNL1 andthe second display panel PNL2. Although the optical path changing lensesof the embodiment 1 are formed of an acrylic plate by molding, theoptical path changing lenses may be formed of other proper resinmaterial, glass or the like.

FIG. 2 is an operational explanatory view of an embodiment 1 which isshown as a cross-sectional schematic view taken along a line A-A′ inFIG. 1. When the display panels PNL1, PNL2 are formed of the liquidcrystal display panel, on back surfaces of the display panels which areconstituted of two substrates explained in conjunction with FIG. 12,light guide plates (not shown in the drawing) which constitute backlights are arranged, and the light guide plates have peripheries thereofheld by shield frames (holding casings) SHD together with the liquidcrystal display panels. Including the shield frames SHD and respectivedistances between the display regions and panel end peripheries, anon-display region BW is present at an abutting portion BE of twodisplay panels.

The optical path changing lenses LPL1, LPL2 are arranged in an abuttingmanner above the abutting portion BE of two display panels PNL1, PNL2where the respective one sides of the respective display panels PNL1,PNL2 abut on each other. Abutting ends of the optical path changinglenses LPL1, LPL2 are formed linearly above the abutting portion BE. Thefirst optical path changing lens LPL1 and the second optical pathchanging lens LPL2 have lens shapes such that optical paths of opticalimages at portions remote from the abutting portion BE are changed inthe viewing point VP directions and, at the same time, an optical imagein the non-display region BW including picture frames in the directionorthogonal to boundaries of the abutting portion BE within displayscreens is contracted linearly above the abutting portion BE andorthogonal to the boundaries of the abutting portion BE on the displayscreens and is focused on a viewing point VP.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view with a part in cross section forfurther explaining an operation of the optical path changing lens of theembodiment 1. Although the explanation is made with respect to thesecond optical path changing lens LPL2 shown in FIG. 2 in FIG. 3, thesame application is applicable to the first optical path changing lensLPL1. The optical path changing lens LPL2 is mounted in a spaced-apartmanner from a display screen of the display panel (cell) PNL by adistance (a gap between the acrylic plate and the cell) B. Further,symbol “a” indicates a point on an outer periphery of the display regioninside the picture frame arranged on an abutting side of the displaypanel, and symbol “b” indicates a point on an outer periphery of thedisplay region inside the picture frame on a side opposite to theabutting side of the display panel. Here, the display region is arrangedslightly inside than an inner periphery of the shield frame SHD and,usually, a width of the non-display portion is set larger than a widthLA of the shield frame SHD.

In FIG. 3, an optical image at the “a” portion is focused on the viewingpoint VP by way of the optical path changing lens LPL2, while an opticalimage at the “b” portion is focused on the viewing point VP by way ofthe optical path changing lens LPL2. Then, due to the presence of the“a” portion, an optical image on the abutting portion BE side, that is,in the non-display region BW is not observed from the viewing point VPside by the optical path changing lens LPL2.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of an example of sizes of the optical pathchanging lens in the embodiment 1. Further, FIG. 5 is a table whichshows an example of typical numerical values of respective portions inFIG. 4 in an arranged manner. In FIG. 5, symbol t indicates a platethickness of the optical path changing lens LPL, symbol B indicates adistance between the optical path changing lens LPL and the displaypanel PNL, and symbol A indicates a total distance of the platethickness t and the distance B. Further, symbol R indicates acurved-portion radius of a curved portion LX. First of all, in FIG. 4,the optical path changing lens LPL is formed of the curved portion LXand a wedge portion WG. Although a boundary between the curved portionLX and the wedge portion WG of the optical path changing lens LPL isvariable corresponding to a size of the display panel, the boundary ispositioned close to a side at which the optical path changing lens abutson another optical path changing lens in FIG. 4. An image which passesthe curved portion LX is more compressed when the image is arrangedcloser to the abutting portion and hence, to prevent the whole imageattributed to the compression from becoming unnatural, theabove-mentioned boundary may be selected such that an optical imagewhich passes a wedge-portion-WG side of the curved portion LX and anoptical image which passes the wedge portion WG are naturallytransitioned from each other.

The optical path changing lens LPL has a size which allows the opticalpath changing lens LPL to cover the whole display panel PNL. In FIG. 4,the symbols express the following.

B: gap (cell gap) between display panel PNL and optical path changinglens LPL

LX1: distance from end periphery of abutting portion to position atwhich line which passes center of radius of curvature C of curvedportion LX and is perpendicular to display screen of display panelcrosses optical path changing lens LPL

LX2: distance within range of arc of curved portion LX

LY1: distance (cell gap B) between joint point P of curved portion LXand wedge portion WG and apex of arc of curved portion LX

t: maximum plate thickness of optical path changing lens LPL

A: distance between viewing-point side surface of optical path changinglens LPL and display screen of display panel (t+B: total distance)

LA: picture frame width on abutting side

R: radius of curved portion LX

θ0: contact angle of curved portion LX at abutting end

Here, both of an abutting-end-potion plate thickness t1 and a platethickness of t2 of an opposite side of the optical path changing lensLPL are set to 0.5 mm respectively.

That is, in this optical path changing lens, a cross-sectional shapecorresponding to a certain one side of the display panel is, on asurface side which faces the display panel, formed in a straight lineshape having an inclination with respect to the display panel on oneside (wedge portion WG in FIG. 4) and in a curved shape on another side(the curved portion LX in FIG. 4). Further, such cross-sectional shapeis formed in a shape parallel to the display region of the display panelon the surface side opposite to the surface which faces the displaypanel.

As has been explained above, the first optical path changing lens andthe second optical path changing lens of this embodiment 1, includerespectively, at a portion thereof where the distance from the abuttingboundary in the direction orthogonal to the boundary within the displayscreen is large, the uniform changing region which changes an opticalpath of an optical image of an image displayed on the display region ofthe display panel in the upward direction orthogonal to the displayscreen of the abutting boundary while maintaining the linearity in thedirection orthogonal from the abutting boundary, that is, the wedgeportion WG and, at a portion thereof where the distance from theabutting boundary in the direction orthogonal to the abutting boundaryis small, a non-uniform changing region which changes an optical path ofan optical image of an image displayed on the display region of thedisplay panel such that an optical image of the picture frame iscontracted and focused linearly in the upward direction orthogonal to adisplay screen of the abutting boundary, that is, the curved portion LX.

It is preferable to make the optical path changing properties of thefirst optical path changing lens and the second optical path changinglens assume a line symmetry with respect to the abutting boundary from aview point of acquiring a balance of the display image obtained by bothoptical path changing lenses. Further, the wedge portion WG has theinclined surface such that the larger the distance in the directionorthogonal to the abutting direction from the abutting boundary withinthe display screen, the distance between the inclined surface and thedisplay screen is increased with respect to a profile on the displayscreen side of the cross section of the wedge portion WG in thedirection orthogonal to the display screen. Further, although the curvedportion LX has a profile on the display screen side of a cross sectionthereof in the direction orthogonal to the display screen formed in anarc shape, the profile of the curved portion LX is not limited to such ashape and may be formed in an elliptical arc, parabolic arc or a curvewhich has a continuous non-equal curvature.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining one example offixing structure of the optical path changing lens to the display panelon a side opposite to the abutting side. The optical path changing lensLPL is laminated to the display panel PNL in a state that apredetermined distance is ensured therebetween using spacers (or aspacer) SPB. The spacers SPB may be arranged such that the spacers SPBalso surround a display panel PNL side. Further, the spacers SPB may bealso arranged on the abutting side of the display panel. The shieldframe SHD which constitutes the picture frame is often formed of metalsuch as stainless steel. In this case, a portion of light from thedisplay panel is reflected on a side surface of the shield frame SHD andis radiated in the viewing point direction through the optical pathchanging lens LPL. As a result, the brightness line is generated alongthe picture frame thus deteriorating the display quality.

In this constitution, in an inner periphery (display region side) of thespacers SPB on the side opposite to the abutting side extends forwardly,that is, projects to the display region side from the inner periphery ofthe corresponding picture frame of the display panel PNL. In otherwords, the inner periphery of the spacer SPB overhang on the displayscreen. Due to such a constitution, it is possible to prevent areflection light on an inner surface of the picture frame SHD fromreaching the optical path changing lens. This structure is alsoapplicable to other sides in the same manner.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the manner of operation of thebrightness line preventing structure shown in FIG. 6. In this example,the explanation is made with respect to a case in which the displaydevice uses a liquid crystal display panel as the display panel. A lightguide plate GLB which constitute a backlight is arranged on a backsurface of the liquid crystal display panel PNL, and the liquid crystaldisplay panel PNL and the light guide plate GLB are integrally formed bythe shield frame SHD. The display region AR of the liquid crystaldisplay panel PNL is positioned slightly inside from the inner peripheryof the shield frame SHD. An outer periphery of the display region ARconstitutes the non-display region, that is, the picture frame.

In FIG. 7, symbol h indicates a plate thickness of an inner side of theshield frame SHD, symbol H indicates a distance perpendicular to thedisplay screen between the display screen and viewing points VP1, VP2,symbol M indicates a distance that the spacers SPB overhang, symbols αand β indicate angles of straight lines for observing the innerperiphery of the spacer SPB from the viewing points VP1, VP2, symbols L,I indicate distances parallel to the display screen between the innerperiphery of the spacers SPB and the viewing points VP, symbol Cindicates a distance parallel to the display screen between a point atwhich an extension line of a straight line which connects the viewingpoint VP1 and the projecting periphery of the spacer SPB intersects thedisplay screen and the projecting periphery of the spacers SPB, andsymbol N indicates a distance parallel to the display screen between theinner periphery of the shield frame SHD and a point at which anextension of the straight line which connects the viewing point VP1 andthe projecting periphery of the spacer SPB intersects the displayscreen.

Here, assuming the plate thickness h, the distance H and the distance Mas h=0.3 mm, H=200 mm, M=0.8 mm, the angle β and the distance L becomeas β≅20°33′, L=≅533 mm. Further, when the angle α is set as α=45°, thedistance I, the distance C and the distance N become as I=200 mm, C=0.3mm, N=0.5 mm. By setting the distance M as M=0.8 mm up to so-callednominal 10 inch class, there is no possibility that the overhang of thespacers SPB conceals the display region AR. The above-mentioned otherpredetermined numerical values can be calculated in the same manner.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an inclined fiber lens for explaining anembodiment 2 of the present invention. Further, FIG. 9 is a view forexplaining a state in which the inclined fiber lens shown in FIG. 8 ismounted on the display panel. The inclined fiber lens SFL is arectangular plate-shaped body which is obtained by cutting a fiber prismwhich is formed of a large number of fibers which are bundled and bondedparallel to each other and linearly at a predetermined angle withrespect to a long axis of the prism.

The inclined fiber lens SFL is, as shown in FIG. 9, mounted on thedisplay screen of the display panel in a state that one surface (anincident surface) of the inclined fiber lens SFL is brought into contactwith a display screen of the display panel. A side surface of anabutting side with another display panel is inclined such that the sidesurface turns down toward the another display panel side with an angleγ. On the other hand, a side surface on a side opposite to the abuttingside with another display panel is inclined parallel to the side surfaceon the above-mentioned abutting side with an angle γ. Assuming a platethickness of the inclined fiber lens SFL as t and a width of a pictureframe as LB, the angle γ is obtained by tanγ=t/LB. That is, the angle γis determined based on relationship between the plate thickness t of theinclined fiber lens SFL and the width LB of the picture frame.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing the whole displaydevice of the embodiment 2 in which inclined fiber lenses arerespectively overlapped to two respective display panels which abut oneach other in a state that the inclined fiber lenses cover therespective display panels. The inclined fiber lenses SFL1, SFL2 arerespectively overlapped to two respective display panels PNL1, PNL2.Further, one sides of the inclined fiber lenses SFL1, SFL2 are made toabut on each other. Then, the inclined fiber lenses SFL1, SFL2 arearranged such that upper peripheries of the sides which turn down towardanother display panel sides are brought into contact with each other.Due to such a constitution, an optical image in a non-display region atthe abutting portion of two abutted display panels is removed by theinclined fiber lenses and does not reach the viewing point VP. Theembodiment 2 can realize the reduction of thickness and theminiaturization of the display device more easily than the embodiment 1.

1. A display device comprising: a display panel having a picture frameon an outer periphery of a display region; and an optical path changinglens which is arranged above said display panel, wherein said opticalpath changing lens is supported on a spacer which is arranged on saidpicture frame of said display panel, and said spacer is arranged in aU-shape on three sides of said picture frame, and a spacer portion whichfaces at least one side at which said spacer is not formed is arrangedto advance toward said display region side than an inner periphery ofsaid picture frame.
 2. A display device according to claim 1, whereinsaid spacer on said picture frame is arranged in a state that saidspacers advances to said display region side than an inner periphery ofsaid picture frame thus preventing a reflection light on an innersurface which constitutes a stepped portion between said picture frameand said display region from reaching said optical path changing lenswhen a viewer observes said display device from one side on which saidspacer is not arranged.
 3. A display device which includes a firstdisplay panel and a second display panel respectively having displayscreens which define a picture frames on outer peripheries of displayregions, and arranges the first display panel and the second displaypanel such that a common large-sized display screen is formed of therespective display screens of said first display panel and said seconddisplay panel by making the picture frame of one side of said firstdisplay panel and said picture frame of one side of said second displaypanel, wherein said first display panel and said second display panelwhich have respective one sides thereof abut on each other along anabutting boundary therebetween, and said display device includes a firstoptical path changing lens and a second optical path changing lens whichare arranged to cover at least respective display regions of said firstdisplay panel and said second display panel, said first optical pathchanging lens and said second optical path changing lens are formed in alens shape such that an optical image of a picture frame in thedirection orthogonal to the abutting boundary within a display screen islinearly contracted and is focused in the upward direction orthogonal tothe display screen at the abutting boundary, and said first optical pathchanging lens and said second optical path changing lens includerespectively, at a portion thereof where a distance from the abuttingboundary in the direction orthogonal to the boundary within the displayscreen is large, a uniform changing region which changes an optical pathof an optical image of an image displayed on said display region of saiddisplay panel in the upward direction orthogonal to said display screenof the abutting boundary while maintaining the linearity in thedirection orthogonal from the abutting boundary and, in a portionthereof where the distance from the abutting boundary in the directionorthogonal to the abutting boundary is small, a non-uniform changingregion which changes an optical path of an optical image of an imagedisplayed on the display region of the display panel such that anoptical image of said picture frame is contracted and focused linearlyin the upward direction orthogonal to a display screen of the abuttingboundary.
 4. A display device according to claim 3, wherein optical pathchanging characteristics of said first optical path changing lens andsaid second optical path changing lens assume a line symmetry withrespect to said abutting boundary.
 5. A display device according toclaim 3, wherein the uniform changing region has a profile on thedisplay screen side of a cross section formed in an inclined surface inthe direction orthogonal to said display screen, and said cross sectionin which the larger a distance in the direction from the abuttingboundary orthogonal to the abutting boundary within said display screen,a distance between said inclined surface and said display screen isincreased is formed in a wedge shape.
 6. A display device according toclaim 3, wherein said non-uniform changing region has a profile on saiddisplay screen side of a cross section formed in a curved shapeprojecting toward said display panel side in the direction orthogonal tosaid display screen.
 7. A display device according to claim 3, wherein aspacer is arranged between respective end portions of said first opticalpath changing lens and said second optical path changing lens except forthe abutting boundary and corresponding picture frames of said firstdisplay panel and said second display panel, and inner peripheries ofsaid spacer is arranged to extend forwardly from inner peripheries ofcorresponding picture frames of said first display panel and said seconddisplay panel and assume positions at which reflection lights on innersurfaces of said picture frames are prevented from reaching said firstoptical path changing lens and said second optical path changing lens.8. A display device according to claim 3, wherein a surface of saidfirst optical path changing lens and a surface of said second opticalpath changing lens are continuously formed.
 9. A display deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein said first display panel and said seconddisplay panel are formed of a liquid crystal display device.
 10. Adisplay device which includes a first display panel and a second displaypanel respectively having a display screen which defines a picture frameon an outer periphery of a display region, and arranges said firstdisplay panel and said second display panel such that a commonlarge-sized display screen is formed of the respective display screensof said first display panel and said second display panel, wherein saidfirst display panel and said second display panel have upper peripheriesof respective one sides thereof abut on each other along an abuttingboundary therebetween, said display device further includes a firstinclined fiber lens and a second inclined fiber lens which are arrangedto cover at least respective display regions of said first display paneland said second display panel, said first inclined fiber lens and saidsecond inclined fiber lens are formed of a rectangular plate-shaped bodywhich is obtained by cutting a fiber prism which is formed of a largenumber of fibers which are bundled and bonded parallel to each other andlinearly at a predetermined angle with respect to a long axis of theprism, and lower peripheries of the abutting one sides of said firstinclined fiber lens and said second inclined fiber lens are positionedat said display region side than inner peripheries of picture frames ofthe abutting one sides.
 11. A display device according to claim 10,wherein lower peripheries of said first inclined fiber lens and saidsecond inclined fiber lens on sides opposite to the abutting sides arearranged to be positioned on said display region side than innerperipheries of said picture frames of said first display panel and saidsecond display panel positioned on a side opposite to said pictureframes of the respective abutting one sides.
 12. A display deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein said first display panel and said seconddisplay panel are formed of a liquid crystal display device.